1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to electrically powered vehicles, and more particularly, to an improved ram air electrical generator/charging system for powering the motor and recharging the battery packs in such vehicles.
2. Description of Related Art
Many types of charging or generator systems for electrically powered vehicles are known. Examples of such known devices are set forth in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,444,946 to Waterbury, 3,713,503 to Haan, 3,878,913 to Lionts et al., 4,075,545 to Haberer, 4,141,425 to Treat, 5,296,746 to Burkhardt, 5,680,032 to Pena, 5,850,108 to Bernard, 4,423,368 to Bussiere, 4,282,944 to Trumpy, 4,179,007 Howe, 4,168,759 to Hull et al., 3,621,930 to Dutchak, 3,876,925 to Stoeckert, 4,132,282 to Sparks and Des.374,656 to Richardson.
These known patents provide improvements in the art, but do not provide a simple and easy-to-use system which works efficiently in all situations, and which increases the efficiency of the generating system, such as the ram air electrical generator/charging system of the present invention.
There, therefore, exists a need in the art for an inexpensive and efficient power source for electric vehicles, which incorporates an electric power generating device to create electric power as a vehicle moves, and which recharges one or more battery packs held in the vehicle during propulsion or when the vehicle comes to a stop, and which, at the same time, maintains the maximum voltage possible in and to the electrical propulsion motor.
The creation of an inexpensive and efficient power source for electric vehicles, such as automobiles, has been a challenge for many years. The present invention overcomes the known problems with existing technology by incorporating an electrically powered generating/charging device into a battery/electrically powered vehicle, and allows the moving vehicle to be its own power generating source. The improved device of the present invention will help keep the overall costs of vehicle ownership down, and dramatically cut air pollution.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified on-board electrical generating system for an electrical vehicle. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified ram air electrical generator system, which creates electrical power as a vehicle moves forward so as to recharge one or more battery packs held within the vehicle. It is another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified ram air electrical generator/charging system, which will continue to charge battery packs in a vehicle when the vehicle comes to a stop, and which also maintains the maximum voltage possible to the electrical propulsion motor of the vehicle, as the vehicle is driven. It is yet another particular object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified ram air electrical generating/charging system, which delivers a peak flow of electricity to a battery pack while the battery pack is delivering electrical power to the motor of an electrical vehicle, and which provides peak voltage at high-rates of speed. And, it is still a further particular object of the present invention to provide an improved and simplified ram air electrical generating/charging system having a by-pass channel to allow excess airflow to be routed around an impeller to minimize drag forces.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing an electrically powered vehicle, having at least one specifically designed air intake duct at the front or rear of the vehicle, whereby air flows through the duct and is forced through an impeller held in a constricted orifice, and which impeller is connected to a drive shaft. The drive shaft includes a drive pulley mounted thereon connected via a belt to a forward driven pulley/freewheel/gear-change combination unit mounted on a main drive shaft. The main drive shaft also includes an aft-driven pulley, which is integrated with a flywheel to allow the main drive shaft to maintain the highest possible rotational speed as the vehicle slows or stops for any reason. The aft-mounted pulley is connected to two electrical alternators to charge the battery system of the vehicle. The flywheel is included in the system to keep the generator side of the system moving at faster speeds during slowing or stopping of the vehicle. The freewheel is coupled to the flywheel, and includes a gear system, which will shift the device up or down to an efficient gear ratio, depending on the speed of the vehicle. One or more by-pass channels may be located circumferentially around a restrictor to allow airflow to be routed around the impeller when air pressure behind the restrictor chamber reaches a designed operating point. Other devices, such as a power regulator, a computer control monitor, gear change actuator and a housing for the overall device are included.